Vastonea one of two against the field

The Irish Flat season gets under way at the Curragh this afternoon and the big betting race is the Irish Lincolnshire (4.55pm). This is as tough as it gets for punters with 26 set to go to post and it makes sense to have a couple of runners on our side. Last year’s winner Stuccodor won’t be one of them as he is 6lb higher than 12 months ago, meaning he has top weight of 10st 1lb to carry, and the drying ground is another negative for this mudlark. With Ger Lyons saying earlier in the week that none of his three runners, including joint favourite Unsinkable, would not be “fully revved up” it could pay to swerve them too.

We’re guessing at the fitness of most of these, admittedly, but Kevin Prendergast normally has his horses well forward and his VASTONEA, one of two stable representatives and the first string on jockey bookings, should go well. Twice a winner over a mile at the Galway Festival, he was staying on all the way to the line in the Irish Cambridgeshire here last August, despite being hampered close home, and runs off the same mark today. He’s a shade of value at Boylesports’ 14/1.

The other one to have a small each-way interest on is SOPHIE’S WORLD at a big-looking 33/1, again with Boylesports. Having shown some smart juvenile form at two, she was always going to struggle in three-year-old handicaps against the boys last season. It was to her credit then that she won a competitive handicap over an extended mile at the Galway Festival, before flying home in the aforementioned Irish Cambridgeshire after being given too much to do. She’s since joined Alan Fleming and may have some more improvement in her this season.